NPR journalist Glenn Fleishman has launched a crowdfunding campaign to publish That One Matt Bors Comic, a book dedicated to the controversial final panel of Matt Bors' comic Mister Gotcha, published in 2016. The panel shows a modern man laughing at a medieval peasant who dreams of improving society, sparking a debate about cynicism and progress. Artists such as Ryan North, Box Brown, and Tom Tomorrow will collaborate on the work.
Crowdfunding and Licensing: The Model Behind the Book 📚
The campaign uses crowdfunding platforms to cover printing, distribution, and copyright costs. Fleishman has opted for a tiered reward system that includes limited editions and original art. The technical process involves coordinating multiple artists under a Creative Commons license, allowing each collaborator to maintain control over their work while unifying the editorial design. This approach bypasses traditional publishing circuits.
The Medieval Peasant Was Right, But No One Listened 🌾
Bors' comic has become a meme used to call out those who mock utopian ideas. Now, an entire book will analyze that moment of laughter and disdain. Ironically, while artists raise funds to dissect cynicism, the peasant character would likely still be plowing fields without internet, wondering what all the fuss is about a single panel. At least, now he will have his own art book.